Well my Black Ghost Knifefish died, but we were hoping not. We knew he was scaleless and only used half the dose of the ich medication, but he died anyway. We have been doing a 1/3 water change every day. Adding medication like normal and a bit of aquarium salt but now my Pictus catfish is deteriorating fast!! His long feelers are dissolving and he is still covered in spots (the only one that is). He is also scaleless and we think he is next. We started this with Super ick cure for the first few days and ran out and had to get a new ich cure called Ich-X. It is stronger so we have only been using half the dose. All my plants are moved to a new tank the only thing in the 250 ml is the fish, two pieces of driftwood and some rocks. The pictus is also not eating during meal time and he is non stop swimming. He is usually quiet during the day as he is noctural. Our Shark Catfish is mothering the pictus by keeping him moving when he slows down. This ich bout doesn't seem to be running it's normal course. All parameters are fine. Temp is 81.27 (as we turned it up to speed the process) All ammonias, nitrites, and nitrates are zero. Our pH is 7.5 and it is a community tank. Does anyone have any advice?

My Pictus Catfish is still looking very sick, but now my rainbows and my angels are getting new dots too. I am ready for a full dose and take my chances. Just tested water again. Nitrite 0, nitrate 0, Ammonia 0, pH 7.5 temp is still 81.27 degrees. Tank has been treated for 2 days with Super Ich Cure and 2 days with Ich-X as I ran out and couldn't get the same kind of ich meds. I was using half a dose due to scaleless fish - Columbian Shark Catfish, Pictus Catfish, Leopard Sailfin Pleco and Black Ghostknife. Already lost Black Ghostknife and Pictus is deteriorating. Lights are generally off for last day. All plants removed. Tank also had had about 5 teaspoons of Aquarium salt. Any suggestions???? _________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!

Well I am not sure what to do now. Yesterday we decided to get rid of the ich and full dose the tank and take our chances. Our Pictus has no long feelers anymore just his short ones and the other fish are starting to get red blotches on them around their fins. Some are, it seems, are losing scales and that is the red on them. All water parameters are fine. The Pictus also still has dots, it seems like they just won't fall off. I don't medicate again till tonight and that is when I do my water change. This morning I just added a couple of tablespoons of aquarium salt to help the red tender spots that the medicine is hurting on my fish. Will this ich cycle ever end?? Any advice would be useful. Thanks _________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!

Note that the article says not to add salt and not to raise the temp, this is not necessarily true as people have had different success in different methods so just letting you know in case you freak out.

Since I don't have experience with ich I cannot advise you on anything else but I hope someone else with more knowledge can help you before its too late.

I have read numerous articles about ich and have had to deal with it once before in my other tank but none so severe. This article extremely helped. Very clear!! I will do a water change right away, and turn back down my thermometer. I won't add anymore salt either. I will continue to dose once a day like it says and let it run its course. Hopefully I won't lose anyone else. My pictus looks aweful but is starting to act more normal. My bubbler is still running for oxygen I hope that helps them with the stress.
Thanks again for answering._________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!

Well I thought I was doing the right thing. This morning I did a 25% water change and added the ich meds, no salt and my water conditioner (I use Ultimate) My fish are panting a bit but look okay and are still eating. My pictus is deteriorating even faster now though. His tail fin is starting to fray which makes me think he can't handle the meds at full strength. He is at a full pant but I have no other tank to move him too and I can't watch him suffer. Does anyone have any mercy methods to youthenize this fish? Or do I hope he makes it? As it is he will have to be treated for fin rot it looks like after this ich bout. My other catfish (Columbian Shark) is fine. Does anyone own a Pictus Catfish? I have searched the web and have books and I just know the basics and they are very nice fish. I would definitely replace him if he passes on._________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!

I moved my sword out of my quarantine tank back into her community and put the two catfish in the 10 gallon. My large tank is still going through the ich meds etc. and doing fine. My pictus is horrible and rotting fast. I put some melafix in the quarantine tank and am going to wait till he gets some fins back before I treat him for ich again. Right now he had no dots when I put him over but we shall see. My husband is rather attached to this fish and won't give up on him. The Columbian Shark keeps him moving still and doesn't seem to want to give up on him either. So we shall see. I just hope he makes it through the night. Anyway thanks for everyone's advice and we'll keep you posted on our Pictus Catfish (Spazz)_________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!

Well I have come to the conclusion that you aren't an official fish owner until you have dealt with one disease or another. After looking at that site Hasi I have done the exact instructions and like I said my tank is getting better so I thought. This morning our Pictus is still alive and doing a bit better. We moved the Columbian back into the main tank and did a 25% water change again this morning but didn't add the ich meds but added melafix instead. This medication I am using from LFS Ich-X has got to be wrong in dosing or I have more then one problem with my tank. My apollo sharks fins are now dissappearing. I really love my fish and have 6 tanks total (with little ones having bettas) I really want to save my fish!! Is there anyone out there that knows if ich or ich meds can make a fish deteriorate? Any help or advice would be useful._________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!

Well my Pictus (Spazz) finally died. I feel so bad I couldn't help him. My fish are so stressed, so I have decided to give a day or two break. I have been doing the ich thing since last Thursday and they need a medicine free zone to recouperate. I have just gotten a hold of a 50 ft. syphon that hooks up directly to your sink and am in heaven. No more buckets. About time too 6 tanks with buckets were the pits. Anyway I did a 50% water change and put my air conditioning on in the house. Turns out the ich was probably caused by temp in the house affecting tank, change. My fish are really suffering so I just added a bit of aquarium salt and some stress relief to my water and are going to let them be for a day or two and start the cycle again after that. Anyway thanks again for the advice and support. Hope the rest of my fish hang in there._________________Fishtanks make for less TV
Various size tanks with freshwater fish and aquarium plants.
Happy Mom!